The Department of City Planning proposes to amend the Zoning Map on all or portions of 193 blocks in the southeast Queens neighborhood of Rosedale in Community District 13. The rezoning aims to protect the established lower-density character of this community.

This rezoning was undertaken by the Department of City Planning in response to requests from local elected officials, Community Board 13 and the local civic association. The proposal builds upon three previous contextual rezonings immediately west of Rosedale adopted by the City Council: Brookville in 2004, Cambria Heights in 2005 and Laurelton in 2008.

Rosedale is characterized as a piece of suburbia in the city. Located approximately 16 miles from Manhattan, the neighborhood is composed of predominately one- and two-family homes on tree-lined streets with some residences having waterfront access for boating on Hook Creek. The area is served by the Long Island Rail Road at Rosedale station and is easily accessible to arterial highways, such as the Belt and Laurelton Parkways. Large open space resources adjacent to the neighborhood include Brookville Park to the west and Idlewild Park to the south.

Over the last several years, Rosedale has experienced development pressure largely due to its outdated zoning which has remained unchanged since 1961. The area’s R3-2 zoning district in the southern half of Rosedale allows a variety of housing types and densities that are inconsistent with the prevailing scale and built character of this part of the neighborhood.